There, There
by toxic-dreamer-2
Summary: An emotional ordeal for Amy brings forth unexpected changes. *Shamy* *Penny and Amy friendship* *Penny and Sheldon friendship* *light Lenny*
1. Chapter 1

**Once again I'm jumping into a story ...so let me give you some back ground info.**

**Amy was visited by her father, whom she hadn't seen or heard from since she was ten (He and her mother had divorced because he was cheating on her). He showed up unannounced at her apartment and expressed how sorry he was for not being a part of her life, seemed genuinely remorseful and wished to talk to her. She- hesitant at first- allowed him inside. After he apologizes and begs for forgiveness- to which Amy graciously accepts- he then proceeds to ask for a favor; money. Amy refuses, stating simply that she doesn't have the resources to loan him such a substancial amount, and is distrustful of his motives. He becomes angry, and threatens her; Amy realizes he's been drinking as well. She tries to get him to leave, but he becomes extremely violent. let's just say...things don't end well.**

**Sheldon- who has been unable to get into contact with Amy- has Leonard and Penny drive him over. it's there that he finds his grilfirned injured and unconscious on her living room floor. he quickly checks for a pulse, calls 911, and waits anxiously for their arrival (he also calls Leonard while in a state of panic, alerting both him and penny on whats occurred).**

**Penny agrees to spend the night at the hospital with Amy- seeing that Sheldon is torn between his discomfort with hospitals and need for a clean shower, and his desire not to leave Amy alone. When Sheldon returns early the next morning with Leonard, penny informs them that Amy is awake and the she's already spoken to a police officer. She then tells the guys who Amy's attacker was, and how she had to comfort Amy upon her telling the police what had happened.**

**Sheldon then goes in to see Amy, so...this is**** Sheldon attempting to talk/comfort her. *sigh* I'm bad at this explaining stuff.**

**Enjoy.**

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><p>Sheldon hesitantly took a seat on the edge of Amy's hospital bed, hands folded neatly in his lap to avoid any unnecessary contact with the bed sheets as he faced her. She was sitting up as well, and from his new vantage point he could make out the bruises on the left side of her face, and her slightly swollen split lip; it made him wince as he recalled similar injuries as a child from neighborhood bullies, but it also caused a flash of anger to rise within him to think that someone had hurt Amy in that way.<p>

Sheldon supressed the conflicting emotions and diverted his eyes, wondering why the silence around him was so unnerving; he'd never felt this way around Amy.

"You're uncharacteristically quiet," he decided to comment, to which Amy blinked as if coming out of a daze. "Is my being here causing you some type of discomfort?

"No, of course not." Amy was quick to respond now, although her eyes still remained on her lap. "I find your presence here both reassuring and deeply considerate- especially given your aversion to hospitals."

Sheldon nodded- yes, hospitals did make him uneasy, and it _was_ quite considerate of him to be there for her- yet he was still uncertain what to make of Amy's behavior. He'd hoped that his close proximity-not to mention the fact that he was technically now in the same bed as her- might garner a reaction from his girlfriend, yet she remained unresponsive.

"Is there another reason you are so adamantly avoiding eye contact with me then?" he prodded further.

Amy shifted slightly and winced, an action that reminded Sheldon of the bruises hidden beneath her hospital gown; he was about to ask if she was okay when she finally spoke, her voice faltering at the beginning.

"Sheldon, I…I'm ashamed."

Her answer both surprised and confused him. He would understand if she were sad, or angry, or even tired, but this emotion simply did not make sense to him given the circumstances.

"Why?" he questioned, bewildered. "Certainly you have no reason to feel this way, given that you were the victim in this crime."

"Sheldon," Amy paused, trying to gather her thoughts. "In the past I have always considered myself an intelligent person."

"And rightfully so." Sheldon interjected. "You're intelligence, as well as your sensible nature, is one of the many things that endear me to you."

"And yet I disputed both traits by making such a foolish mistake." Amy countered, too deep in her own self loathing to take comfort in Sheldon's kind words. "I am no better than my own mother; naively placing trust in someone who is clearly undeserving of such a thing."

Sheldon frowned, he was not well versed in identifying emotions, but Amy's despair could not have been more apparent. She was anxiously wringing her hands together in her lap, her voice seemed to hitch near the end of her sentence, and although she still refused to look up at him, Sheldon was fairly certain that she was starting to cry.

He shifted uncomfortably on the side of the bed, his entire being aching in a way that was unfamiliar to him; he wanted to fix this, to find some solution that would bring comfort to her. His eyes moved to gaze down at Amy's still fidgeting hands, and acting on instinct he reached over and gentle captured them in his own.

Amy froze, and for a moment Sheldon feared he'd made a grave error by initiating physical contact; after what occurred, it would only make sense for Amy to withdraw from such actions. He was poised to remove his hands and offer up several apologies when Amy tilted her head up at him, her teary gaze full of gratitude as her hands carefully moved to intertwine with his.

"Sheldon?"

Sheldon tried not to think about the spread of bacteria, or the fact that he had just violated the Relationship Agreement; Instead he focused on the green of Amy's eyes as she stared at him imploringly, silently begging for reassurance.

Sheldon swallowed nervously.

"As you well know, I am terribly uncomfortable with dishonesty." he began, seemingly at random. "Even the few attempts I have made at lying in the past have been sorely unconvincing, despite my elaborate efforts."

Amy frowned, letting her confusion take control of her facial features.

"I am aware of your strong moral conscience." she conceded, "Although I am puzzled as to why you are mentioning this now."

"I need for you to know that what I am about to say is truth," Sheldon explained. "That I am not speaking out of some social obligation to you as your boyfriend, and further more, that I am not attempting to manipulate your feelings in any way."

Amy wasn't sure why this made her stomach twist into an uncomfortable knot, but she managed a shaky nod. Sheldon mimicked the nod, straightening his posture and giving her hands the briefest of squeezes- an action that only marginally helped ease her anxiety.

"Amy, it is true that your trust was misplaced."

Although she was accustomed to Sheldon's blunt nature, the words hurt more than Amy expected, and in that moment she wanted to childishly retreat beneath the covers and hide in shame. When she diverted her eyes and attempted to pull away from him, however, he tightened his grip slightly on her hands.

"Please allow me to finish." he continued, his eyes pleading with her.

Amy couldn't yet find her voice, but she gathered what remained of her composure and managed a curt nod.

"While I agree that your trust was misplaced," he restated, "The irrational blame you are seemingly harboring for the rash actions of another are completely uncalled for."

Amy found herself shaking her head; she'd heard this already, although in much simpler terms…from the kind hearted doctor…from the policeman who'd taken her statement…and from Penny.

"Sheldon, you can't deny that my allowing him entrance into my home was a foolish decision," she argued weakly, " I made a substantial error in judgment and I am clearly at fault for what transpired as a result."

Sheldon frowned.

"By your current line of thinking, it would also be accurate to say that I am at fault." he countered. "After all, it is the duty of the boyfriend to protect the girlfriend from harm; and in which case I failed horribly."

Amy jerked her head up at that statement.

"But you had no prior knowledge of my father, or his impromptu visit; you were not even present at my apartment at the time of his arrival." she retorted, quick to put an end to such thoughts. "You are an exceedingly intelligent individual, Sheldon, but even you can not predict the future."

"No more than you can." Sheldon stated calmly, and Amy found herself stunned speechless.

"To fault you for your decision, would be to fault you for your open minded compassion, and generosity of heart." Sheldon reasoned. "Two more qualities you possess that I find appealing."

If she were in a better state of mind Amy would have swooned over such a compliment, but the warmth that ignited within her only brought tears to her eyes. Sheldon, seeing the liquid trailing down his girlfriends cheeks, quickly frowned.

"Why are you crying?" his voice sounded like a lost child. "I did not intend to cause you distress."

Amy gave a shaky grin at Sheldon's concern, pulling one of her hands away to wipe some of the moisture off her cheeks to no avail.

"You haven't." she tried to reassure him but her voice was trembling.

"Are you experiencing physical discomfort as a result of your injuries?" he inquired further, his voice rising in slight panic. "Should I procure a nurse to-"

Amy practically flung herself into his chest, head tucked under his chin as her hands grasped the front of his Flash t-shirt. She was sure she was violating several prominent rules in the relationship agreement, but she was hurt and vulnerable and she needed this; to hold on to the only thing that made sense in her life.

Sheldon stiffened at the unexpected contact. He could feel Amy's tears dampening the front of his favorite t-shirt, her hands were fisted into the fabric and would no doubt leave it wrinkled, and he could only speculate the amount of bacteria and germs that were being shared between them- in a hospital no less.

His first instinct was to panic and pull away, but another part of him was afraid to sever the contact at all.

Sheldon knew that Amy would not intentionally cause him discomfort, even when she'd needed consoling in the past, she'd calmly negotiated with him until they both agreed on a form of physical intimacy. The fact that Amy had all but jumped into his arms was even more proof of her current emotional upheaval and unbalanced emotional state. Sheldon could not, and would not, refuse her this.

Hesitantly he raised his arms and- mindful of the bruises on her lower back and side- carefully placed his hands on her upper back and gently held her. Amy seemed to shudder against him, sobbing anew, but her hands released the death grip on his shirt and she leaned into the embrace. Sheldon wasn't sure what to make of the mixed signals, but he patted her back softly.

"There, there." he stated awkwardly. "Sheldon's here."

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><p><strong>Yeah, I know...I'm terrible for not being able to write an entire story. There are far too many gaps that I can't fill, but I hope my little summary at the top helped some. <strong>

**I might write more for this but...I'm not sure. **

**BTW, I love Amy and I'd never want her to get hurt...but this scenario would definitely help Sheldon to realize the extent of his feelings for her...and it's a good reason for him to allow so much contact.**

**Oh! And is the K+ rating appropriate or should it be T ?**


	2. My Bestie

**I almost can't believe this...I've had such a dry spell with my writing and then Bam! This! Where did this even come from? I've been typing nonstop for hours, and it's late, and I'm sleep deprived, and there is probably lots of little annoying mistakes, but I'm posting anyway! YAH!**

**This chapter could actually work all on it's own (maybe), but at the same time it's connected to the previous snippet. **

**I intended to do just this chapter, but then I got all caught up in the flashbacks. So I'll have to break this into two- or leave it as is.**

**Also, wow, it from penny's P.O.V. ...sorta. lol**

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><p>Penny suppressed a yawn as she made her way through her small messy apartment and into the kitchen, rummaging through a cabinet for coffee, and thanking her lucky stars when she actually found some (one less day having to mooch off her neighbors).<p>

She stretched slightly as she waited for the coffee to brew, and rubbed her face in an attempt to wake herself up. It was a little after one, which even by her standards meant she should have been officially awake, but the previous days events had left her restless; particularly the night spent at the hospital with Amy.

Penny frowned as she leaned back against her counter, mulling over the events that led to the overnight hospital stay. She still felt a nagging sense of guilt when she recalled Sheldon's concern not even two days previously.

_Knock, knock, knock, "Penny." _

_Knock, knock, knock, "Penny." _

_Knock, knock, knock, "Penny." _

_She sighed as she waited for the final "Penny", opening her door to reveal the only person who would ever knock in such a ritualistic, obsessive compulsive, fashion._

"_Hey, Shel-"_

"_Amy has not responded to any of my electronic communications.' he interrupted her, a touch of accusation in his voice._

"_And hello to you too, Sheldon." She replied wryly._

_Sheldon huffed, rolling his eyes._

"_Penny, Please, this is no time for social niceties," He chided. "Did you not hear my initial statement."_

_Penny sighed, already tired of the conversation._

"_You can't get in touch with Amy?" she asked. "Have you tried using the actual phone this time?"_

"_Of course." Sheldon sounded affronted. "It went straight to voice mail, and had it not, then I would have no need to be standing in your doorway."_

"_And what exactly do you want me to do?' Penny asked, confused._

_Sheldon huffed again, as if she were the one trying his patience._

"_The last time I encountered such a dilemma it was the direct result of your's and Bernadette's callous behavior; excluding Amy from your nonsensical girl bonding," he explained, "A thoughtless act that, need I remind you, deeply affected Amy's emotional stability and led to a night of unscheduled cuddling."_

"_Okay…hold on a minute." Penny frowned. "Are you saying this is my fault?"_

"_I believe the phrase is 'If the boot fits'." Sheldon remarked, before glancing down and wrinkling his nose. "Although in this case it would be 'If the tacky flip flop barely provides coverage'"_

_Penny rolled her eyes._

"_Look, Sheldon, I haven't done anything to upset Amy," Penny stated._

_She narrowed her eyes at him in challenge. "Besides, isn't that your department now, __**boyfriend**__?"_

_Sheldon frowned, brow furrowed._

"_What ever do you mean?"_

"_I_ **mean**_," she said, emphasizing her words. "Are you sure you didn't do something to make her mad? Because it sounds like she's giving you the cold shoulder, sweetie."_

"_Don't be preposterous." Sheldon replied, dismissing her words. "I'm certain Amy would have informed me if I had made any such error- and need I remind you, I am not one to make 'errors'. Further more, if I had done something to upset Amy, then no doubt you-being her best friend- would already be privy to that information. Did you not state once that Amy informs you of everything that happens as it happens?"_

"_Which means I probably have one long ass text message informing me that her boyfriend is a jerk." Penny quipped, taking a small bit of pleasure from Sheldon's glare._

_After a moment, in which she fully expected another retort from the stubborn physicist, Sheldon shifted his eyes to the ground._

"_Well, are you going to check?"_

_That took her aback, and she realized with a start that under all his faux annoyance and self-righteousness, he was actually genuinely worried._

"_Wow," she said. "You're actually worried, huh?"_

"_Your surprise on the matter is baffling; Amy is, after all, my girlfriend." Sheldon looked up then, jaw stubbornly set. "Like wise, I do not wish to miss my Lego fun time again." _

_Penny rolled her eyes at that and walked back into the apartment to retrieve her phone, Sheldon close at her heels. If she was being honest with herself, Penny did fully expect to find not one, but two or three, long messages from Amy. She frowned when discovering no text messages, and only one missed call, which had been from Leonard._

"_Huh." she turned back to Sheldon. "Guess you're off the hook; no messages from Amy."_

_This did not appear to put the tall man at ease._

"_And you don't find that odd?"_

_Penny shrugged. "Maybe her phones dead."_

_Sheldon gave her such a derisive look that one would think she'd suggested that pigs were flying._

"_I find that highly unlikely."_

_For what felt like the tenth time, Penny sighed._

"_Would you like me to drive you over to her apartment?" She graciously volunteered. _

"_Don't be absurd, Penny; you're wearing flip flops," he berated, "And even with the proper footwear, you're driving is sub par. No, I think I'll have Leonard drive me."_

"_Fine, fine," Penny dismissed, "But I still say she's avoiding you. Give the girl some space."_

Penny blinked, the strong smell of coffee bringing her back to the present, where she found a full pot of the steaming goodness waiting for her. She poured her some into a mug, and cradled it carefully in her two hands, sipping absentmindedly as her thoughts still strayed to the past; the warmth of the coffee doing nothing to soothe the nagging guilt inside her. She wondered just how long she would have waited not hearing from Amy before she herself had went to investigate.

'_I would have checked up on her._' she told herself, but another voice countered with an almost subdued, '_Eventually'._

Eventually.

Her vision blurred around the edges as she felt tears sting her eyes, but she stubbornly blinked them away, taking far too big a gulp of hot coffee.

Penny was eternally grateful that Sheldon had not dismissed Amy's absence as she had; or had listened to her when she had advised him to give Amy some space. Then again, Sheldon never listened to her.

_'Thank, God.'_ she thought.

Leonard had not seemed overly concerned with the matter either at the time, she recalled. He simply rolled his eyes indulgently, and grabbed his car keys when Sheldon insisted he drive him to Amy's apartment. Penny had walked over to ask Leonard about the missed call, and he informed her that he'd wanted to go out for dinner. Sheldon had stood by impatiently as the two of them decided what action to take- Sheldon informing Leonard that he would be required to pick him back up after he conversed with Amy. It was quickly decided that they would drop Sheldon off- provided Amy's car was outside the apartment indicating she was home- and then go out to eat, staying out for however long Sheldon allowed.

It had seemed so simple. When they arrived at Amy's apartment, her car was in its designated spot, which Leonard immediately pointed out with a casual 'See? She's home.'. That had seemed to quell Sheldon's initial nervousness and he'd bid them both a quick farewell, and informed Leonard that his stay would not be lengthy, and that it would be wise to dine near-by.

Everything had seemed so simple. So normal (for them). They'd dropped Sheldon off and were on their way. She was going to have a nice dinner with her beta-test-boyfriend.

Everything had been fine.

Then Leonard's phone rang.

_Leonard gave a start, as did Penny, when the star wars- or was it star trek? Penny wondered- opening theme sounded._

"_We haven't even gotten to the restaurant yet, and already Dr. Whack-a-doodle is interrupting." Penny groaned slightly. _

"_Odd though." Leonard mentioned. "He usually just texts."_

_Leonard slowed down slightly to fish his phone from his pocket._

_Penny grinned slightly. "Amy must seriously be pissed at him."_

"_Who? Sheldon?" Leonard asked innocently. "Who could ever get mad at Sheldon?"_

_Penny scoffed and Leonard Smirked as he flipped the phone open._

"_Hey buddy, Amy already tired of…" He trailed off suddenly, smile fading as he listened to whatever Sheldon was saying on the other end. _

"_Wait…what?" His brow furrowed behind his glasses, and Penny glanced over curiously._

"_What is it?"_

_Suddenly the hand that was placed on the wheel gave an almost involuntary jerk to the side, Penny yelped in slight alarm, and Leonard quickly came to a stop. _

"_Leonard?" her voice sounded small and confused._

_Leonard's face paled, and his hand tightened over the wheel so much his knuckles turned white. "Oh, God…" _

_Penny felt her eyes grow wide, dread settling in the pit of her stomach at her boyfriend's sickly expression and his trembling voice. She wanted to demand to know what was happening, and yet….she didn't want to know at all._

"_Okay, okay, just calm down." Leonard insisted, and Penny wondered if he was talking to Sheldon or himself; the dread in her stomach intensified. "Did you…Is she…have you called 911?"_

_Penny gasped, clasping a hand over her mouth, and feeling a lump for in her throat. Her heart raced and her mind blanked except for one thing 'AMY!'._

"_Right right, of course you did." Leonard nodded, glancing over at her for the first time with anxious troubled eyes. "Just…just stay there. We're…I'm turning around."_

_He immediately began to act on what he said, swiftly finding a place to switch directions. _

"_It's…it's gonna be fine, buddy." Leonard replied at last, the use of the word 'buddy' more telling than anything else. Something was wrong. Something was very, very wrong._

"_We'll be right there." Leonard's voice sounded firm then, more self assured, and his face hardened in determination as he hung up the phone._

_He sped up, looking over to meet Penny's wide, terrified eyes._

_He winced, looking back at the road._

"_Amy's hurt." _

_Penny just stared._

"_Sheldon said she wouldn't answer, but he had a spare key so…" he trailed off and shook his head. "She was on the ground. Injured. Unconscious."_

_Penny found herself shaking her head, both in disbelief and mute horror._

"_She has a pulse though." Leonard nodded to himself as he said this. "Sheldon called for an ambulance and just….he's freaking out."_

_Of course he was, Penny thought; how could anyone not freak out, especially Sheldon. She was freaking out right now; trying to make sense of things._

"_I don't understand…," Penny swallowed, her voice hollow. "Did she fall and hit her head or…or what? Some kind of accident in the kitchen?"_

_Leonard shook his head._

"_Sheldon said that her apartments a mess like…like there was a struggle. And there's a lot of bruising." He tightened both hands on the wheel as they neared the apartment. "It wasn't an accident."_

"Damn it…" Penny cursed softly under her breath as she set her mug down with far too much force, resulting in coffee spilling over the edges. She was more than awake now, and her mind too cluttered for her liking; the coffee doing nothing for her nerves.

She abandoned the mug and searched in her cupboards frantically for some relief. She sighed when she came across a bottle of wine, grateful she hadn't already drunk it all. She didn't bother with a glass and just popped it open, taking one long drink.

Everything after her and Leonard's arrival seemed to go by too fast in her mind, although she recalled that at the time it had been as though the world had slowed to a crawl. She hadn't been able to get a glance at Amy when they brought her out- a fact, she was grateful for when she'd spotted Sheldon and his disheveled appearance. He'd been far too pale, eyes wide, and arms limp by his side as he'd trailed after the medical personal like a lost child.

On their way to the hospital he'd been mostly unresponsive, and it wasn't until he was reassured by a doctor that although Amy was badly injured, she was stable and was not about to perish, did he become his more overbearing self; demanding to see her charts, and inquiring as to whether or not the police had found her assailant, etc, etc.

He then excused himself to the bathroom, left quickly, and spent a fair amount of time inside. Leonard had gotten worried and went after him, returning with a fidgeting Sheldon, whose hands were far too red. He quietly explained to Penny that Sheldon had had some blood on his hands -just a small amount- and was attempting to frantically wash it off with scolding water. Penny only frowned worriedly, keeping a close eye on Sheldon after that.

The police came soon after, taking Sheldon's extremely detailed statement about the crime scene, and asking if Amy had any enemy's or someone with 'just cause' to attack her, since nothing appeared to have been stolen. Sheldon seemed annoyed with their repetitive questioning, and made it abundantly clear that their time could be better served trying to apprehend the attacker.

At that point it was all up to Amy to help enlighten them, but she was still unconscious, and it was getting quite late.

"_Sheldon, sweetie," Penny began, using her best motherly voice . "Why don't you have Leonard bring you back to the apartment."_

_He looked at her sharply. "And Leave Amy alone? What if she awakens in the night and-"_

"_I'll stay with her." She insisted. "I know you hate hospitals, Sweetie, and Amy's my Best friend. I can look out for her while you're gone. Plus, this way you can shower, rest up, and be back here in the morning all refreshed."_

_Sheldon still looked doubtful._

"_And Penny can call if anything comes up." Leonard chimed in helpfully, realizing also that Sheldon needed to get away from this place to sort out his thoughts. _

"_I suppose." Sheldon frowned. "But how do I know that Penny will remain diligent?"_

"_Sheldon." Penny stated seriously, meeting the lanky genius's steel blue gaze. "Amy is my best friend. I won't leave her side until you come back."_

And she hadn't. Penny had been allowed into her room a few hours later, tearing up at the sight of her, and taking the seat to her left to _diligently_ keep watch. She'd held Amy's hand most of the night, making a few futile attempts to sleep, with the side of Amy's bed as a pillow.

She'd awoken some time in the early morning to find a pair of familiar dark green eyes starring over at her. Amy'd offered a weak smile and a simple 'Morning, Bestie' that had Penny bolting upright, tears forming in her eyes as she fussed over Amy, and a flood of questions pouring from her lips.

That's when things got quiet, Amy avoided her gaze, and Penny sensed that the emotional rollercoaster was far from over. Amy's first response to her questioning was to ask to speak to a police officer; and that she'd rather not tell what happened more than once if at all possible.

She still hadn't expected….Amy's own father.

Her_ father._

"Rat bastard." Penny muttered lifting the bottle for another drink and then pausing.

"_It was not until he was within close proximity that I smelled the alcohol on his breath."_

"_He'd been drinking?" the officer looked up from his pad and pen. "You're certain of this?"_

_Amy met Penny's gaze briefly before answering. _

"_I am familiar with the smell of alcohol."_

Those words echoed in her head and she felt ill; although coffee and wine wasn't the best mix, she knew that wasn't what made her stomach churn. She decided she'd had enough for now, but kept the bottle loosely in hand; the weight itself was comforting.

She realized, belatedly, that probably wasn't a good thing.

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><p><strong>So...what do you think? I'm nervous 'cause I never thought I'd write for Penny, but I got really into it.<strong>

**Next chapter (If I can manage): More Penny but... Enter Sheldon! **

**Please leave a comment! Go Shamy!**


	3. The Favor

**Don't know what to say...and that's the truth.**

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><p>Penny knew she needed to get ready for work, but whether is was the after effect of the wine she'd drunk or just her normal procrastination kicking in, she found herself leaning against the back of her couch and reminiscing.<p>

Amy.

She simply couldn't stop her thoughts from drifting toward her friend, and more specifically, Amy's behavior when speaking to the officer in charge of taking her statements. She recalled how Amy had sat up straight in her bed (an action that Penny was sure had to be uncomfortable), how her face had gone blank, and how she had sounded when she spoke. It had startled Penny; not because Amy's tone was strange, but because it had been so achingly _familiar_. Penny could clearly recall the same emotionless, robotic tones from when she had first met Amy; detached and clinical. To realize how much Amy had changed since then (at least in terms of being so withdrawn) and to hear her speaking like that again…it had deeply bothered her.

It became clear as the tale unfolded, however, that Amy was out of practice with suppressing her emotions. As soon as she faltered, even the slightest, blinking as if to fight back tears, Penny had swooped in to comfort her; it was a testimony to how upset Amy was that she barely returned her hug.

She didn't know what was more unsettling about the entire ordeal; that it had been Amy's own Father that had harmed her, or that Amy clearly blamed herself for the entire thing. No amount of words from her (or the kindly officer) seemed to convince Amy otherwise, and Penny had never wanted to hurt someone as much as she wished to Amy's father. When she'd recounted the information to Leonard and Sheldon later upon their arrival, she could see her fury matched in Sheldon's steely eyes, and the way Leonard clenched his fists at his side. As much as the tall physicist abhorred physical violence, she was certain that he wouldn't oppose her feelings to wanting to hunt down the guy and teach him a lesson.

Still, Sheldon was a master of his emotions (far more practiced than Amy) and returned to a certain level of calm before entering the room to speak with his girlfriend. Penny wasn't sure what was said, but when she spoke to Amy later, she seemed much more herself. When she happily informed Penny that, 'only you could spend a ragged night in an uncomfortable hospital and still look as beautiful as to distract the hospital staff', Penny had engulfed her in another careful but eager hug. That was her Bestie! She still didn't know what had happened, but Amy informed her that Sheldon had set her straight on the matter of guilt, and she was in better spirits.

'Way to go, Dr. Whack-a-doodle' Penny thought, smiling slightly.

Knock, Knock, Knock, "Penny."

Knock, Knock, Knock, "Penny."

Knock, Knock, Knock, "Penny."

"Speaking of which….." She made her way over, bottle still in hand, swinging the door open while forcing up a slightly more cheerful smile.

"Hey, sweetie."

Sheldon stood there like always; tall and lanky, green lantern t-shirt and plaid pants, and his expression aloof.

"Hello Penny." The greeting was a mere formality and he continued briskly. "As it is now well past the designated time in which I am allowed to knock on your door, and considering I have over an hours worth of allotted time before your tedious shift begins at the cheese cake factory, I hope this might be the opportune moment to speak with you."

Penny blinked. "Um…okay?"

Sheldon glanced down at the bottle in her hand.

"You've been drinking." he stated, with no inflection in his voice; an observation and not a judgment.

Penny still felt a rush of embarrassment.

"Oh no, this is um-"

"No matter." Sheldon dismissed her stammering rebuttal. "Given the nature of my visit, a little impaired judgment on your part might be best."

Penny raised an eye brow at that comment, but Sheldon obvious didn't understand what such a statement might imply. She rolled her eyes.

"Okay, whatever, come on in." she turned to walk back toward the kitchen, as Sheldon took a tedious step inside and closed the door.

"Good lord, doesn't the complete disarray of your apartment make it difficult for you achieve your REM cycles," he inquired.

"Nope. Sleep like baby." She replied, putting the wine bottle back in the cabinet.

She turned back around. "Do you actually have something you wanna talk about, or are you just here to give me cleaning tips."

"The former." Sheldon replied. "Although there's no reason not to include the latter as well, seeing as you are once again in drastic need of my expertise."

Penny folded her arms, giving Sheldon an impatient look and watched as he seemed to withdrawal slightly, looking down at his shoes.

He cleared his throat.

"I have come to-" he hesitated a moment as if carefully choosing his words "-To make a request."

Penny raised one eyebrow inquisitively. "like a favor?"

Sheldon nodded, but didn't look up, standing in the middle of the room in discomfort, hands twitching at his sides. Penny felt a tug of sympathy seeing him like that, and she sighed.

"Have a seat, Sheldon."

He readily settled down on the edge of her couch, and his lack of hesitation in doing so worried her. She made her way over, taking her own spot on the couch but not so close as to startle him.

'Like a baby deer' she reminded herself.

"Okay, sweetie, "she began. "What's got your superman undies in a bunch."

Sheldon's head snapped up to fix her with an annoyed glare.

"I'll have you know I do not wear Superman underwear." he protested. "They're star wars."

Penny tried not to smirk at the confession and Sheldon's childish pout.

"Are you going to answer me or not?" She challenged.

He sobered quickly, straightening in his seat, hands clasped in his lap.

"Very well." he began, "As you are aware, Amy will be released from the hospital today and-"

Penny groaned.

"I know, I know." She whined apologetically. "Believe me, I wish I could be there, but I've already called in twice and with bills coming up and my boss riding my ass over every little-"

"Penny, Penny, Penny." Sheldon interrupted, with that condescending rise of his eyebrows. "As fascinating as I'm sure you believe that is, I am not here to listen to you prattle on about your mundane schedule; and might I add that it's rude to interrupt someone who is already speaking.'"

Penny pressed her lips together, jaw clenched as she suppressed the urge to hit Sheldon. In stead, she gave a tight-lipped grin, and gestured with her hand as if to say 'by all means, continue.'.

Sheldon nodded.

"As I was saying, Amy is to be released from the hospital today," he continued, "and despite the restored state of her apartment thanks to Leonard, I am-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Penny held her hands up signaling him to stop, her brow furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean 'thanks to Leonard'?"

Sheldon sighed impatiently.

"I assumed you were already aware; Leonard took it upon himself to have Amy's apartment returned to its original state prior to the incident."

Penny blinked.

"He cleaned her apartment?"

"In laymen terms, yes." Sheldon replied. "As I spent most of that evening keeping Amy company, Leonard enlisted the aid of Raj- as Howard is still out of town with Bernadette- and tidied up."

Penny felt warmth spread in her chest at the thought, not even put off by the fact that Leonard hadn't told her what he'd done; she'd bring it up with him later.

"That is so sweet." she cooed, hand over her heart; she was so kissing that man the next time she saw him.

"Oh, good Lord," Sheldon rolled his eyes. "I realize that your attention span is relatively small, but could you at least try to focus on what I'm saying and not get lost in a hormone induced daze."

Penny snapped out of her dreamy state and fixed Sheldon with another annoyed glare.

"Ya know, for someone who's about to ask a favor, you'd think you'd be a little more nice."

Sheldon frowned, shoulders slumping slightly at being reprimanded.

"Sheldon," Penny sighed tiredly."Just ask me the favor already."

"Very well." Sheldon cleared his throat and stared down at his lap. "Despite the restored state of Amy's apartment, I am still uncomfortable with the idea of Amy returning there; especially given her physical and emotional state, and the Pasadena police departments inability to apprehend her attacker."

Penny nodded, frowning. "That makes sense I guess. Amy probably wouldn't want to be alone now anyway."

"Precisely." Sheldon looked up, seeming more eager now that Penny was agreeing with him. "In fact I think it would be in Amy's best interest to find a new place to live."

"Sweetie, not everyone feels like they have to pack up and leave when things go wrong." She informed him. "Amy might just need some time to-"

"Amy has informed me herself that she no longer feels safe there." Sheldon countered, his tone a bit more forceful. "She has also expressed interest in the past at finding a new place, and now seems like the opportune time to be begin searching."

"Okay, okay." Penny held her arms up as if to surrender. "I see your point."

Sheldon sighed, some of the tension leaving his shoulders.

"So you want me to help find Amy a new place, right?" She concluded.

Sheldon's eyes darts around for a moment, uncertain.

Penny changed to her no-nonsense tone.

"Sheldon."

He responded quickly.

"I thought perhaps it would be best for everyone if Amy were to move in here. With you."

Penny gaped, eyes wide and mouth opening and closing like a fish.

"I'm sorry…what?" she finally managed.

Sheldon frowned.

"I find it unlikely that you did not hear me, and tedious that I must repeat myself."

Penny shook her head,.

"Sheldon that's- I can't just- what were you even- How can I-"

"Do you intend on finishing any of those statements or am I to speculate on what they might be?"

"Okay, you know what, just give me a minute." Penny took a deep breath, and finally met Sheldon's blue-eyed gaze. "Sweetie, why on earth would you think Amy moving in with me would be for the best?"

"I'm glad you asked," he began. "I have several reasons, none of which having anything to do with level of cleanliness you maintain, obviously."

"Just get on with it."

"Right." Sheldon nodded. "It occurred to me early on that simply moving to another location would not insure safety, and that Amy would benefit from having a roommate. I, myself, know the lengths that one most go through to find a suitable roomie are long and tedious and still offer only the minimal guarantee of happily co-existing."

"I'm sure Leonard would agree." Penny quipped.

"Indeed." Sheldon nodded. "Given that Amy is already familiar with you, you seem the most likely candidate. For what ever reason, Amy has placed a great deal of faith and trust in you. She has even admitted on several occasions to feeling comforted by your presence."

Penny felt her wall crack slightly.

"Sheldon," she sighed. "It's not that I don't like Amy, or care bout her; I do. I just don't think this is a good idea. It's a one bedroom apartment and-"

"That won't be an issue." he assured. "Given the amount of space wasted in your apartment, I'm sure I can arrange a spare bed."

Penny shook her head. "Sweetie-"

"Might I add, this will be beneficial to you as well." He pressed on. "As Amy will pay half of the rent, the stress you're constantly under to make payments on time shall be greatly diminished. You will even have spare finances in which to purchase useless things like shoes and alcohol."

The idea of a little extra money for herself was appealing, and Penny hated herself for thinking so. She brought a hand up to rub her forehead, overwhelmed with Sheldon's proposal. She liked Amy, and she wanted her friend to feel safe, but she had never been good with roommates…and as much as she had come to care for Amy, the girl could be a little overbearing at times. Could she handle being around Amy ever day, all day?

God, this made her head hurt.

"Sheldon sweetie, I just don't know if I can do this," she admitted tiredly. "I don't mind Amy staying over for a few nights, but this? This might be too much."

She looked up at her neighbor, noticed how his face twitched and his eyes wouldn't meet her own. She felt terrible.

"Shel-"

"Perhaps a compromise." his eyes focused on her again, his tone almost desperate. "That Amy will room with you only until a more suitable living arrangement is found."

Penny frowned in thought. "Temporarily then?"

Sheldon nodded.

Penny stared down at the table, considering.

"I don't know." she sighed. "It could take some time to find a new place and-"

"Penny."

Penny gave a little start, not from Sheldon's voice, but from the hand that had settled upon her forearm. It wasn't a tight hold, it was the kind of light touch intended to get someone attention and nothing else, but this was Sheldon; Sheldon who never ever touched anyone if he could help it. She noticed how pink his hand looked, like the night at the hospital when he'd washed it with scolding water; she wondered if he was still doing that.

When Penny looked up to ask, she was stopped by how determined and earnest he appeared, his blue eyes like steel, his lips pressed in a thin line. There was more to this whole thing than what he was saying, and she was going to make him tell her.

"What's the real reason you want Amy to move in with me?"

He flinched slightly at the question, and Penny could tell by the twitch of his hand on her arm that he wanted to pull away, but he didn't.

"In addition to the reasons I have already mentioned," he swallowed, and blinked in quick succession. "I find the notion of Amy being within such close proximity a rather…comforting thought; which would help me maintain a more restful sleep."

In that moment Penny could see how drawn and tired he looked (vulnerable) and she felt her wall crack further. Sheldon was here, asking for a favor…swallowing his pride enough to practically beg…even going as far as to touch her…and actual truly admitting his feelings towards Amy in his own obscure way.

Penny was stunned…but more than that…she was damn proud of her little whack-a-do.

Her wall crumbled and fell.

"You know what..." she answered with a sigh, giving him a weak but sincere grin. "You win; Amy can move in."

The relief that flashed in his eyes made her sure she'd made the right decision, but in the next second it was gone and his hand jerked away from her arm as if it were on fire.

"Good." he stood up. "I'm glad that's settled then."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper, offering it to her.

"Here."

She took it, frowning slightly. "What this?"

"A list of requirements that will need to be met before Amy is to begin living here."

Penny scanned the list, eyebrows raised.

"And you expect me to have this done today?" she spat in disbelief.

"Of course not." Sheldon waved his hand at her. "The time it will take to clean your apartment alone will take up most of an entire day. "

Penny glared, but Sheldon continued unaffected.

"However, I'm confident that with a little more effort on your part, the apartment may be suitable for Amy by then end of next week." he informed her. "Until that time, Amy will be staying at Leonard and my's apartment."

Sheldon then turned and made his way toward the door as if he'd been dismissed.

"Hold up." Penny frowned after him. " Have you already told Amy about this?"

Sheldon stopped with his hand on the door knob and looked back at her.

"Of course not; It would have been a cruel tactic to allow Amy to get her hopes up."

Penny felt some how hurt by the insinuation that she'd have turned Amy down; even though she'd considered doing just that. What kind of best friend was she?

"Well…good then." Penny found herself replying. "I'll tell her. It'll be a surprise."

Sheldon blinked, and then offered a quick smile.

"Very well." he answered in turn. "Good day, Penny."

"Yeah, you too."

After the door closed behind him, Penny found herself unable to rise from the couch.

She was going to have a roommate. Amy was going to move in with her. She and Amy would be living together. No matter how she spun it, the results were the same.

She looked down at the paper in her hand, and read from the list at random.

"Reset thermostat…purchase edible food…prepare emergency exit routes?"

She groaned, throwing her head.

"I'm definitely going to need to buy more alcohol."

* * *

><p><strong>So...hows that for a twist? :P<strong>

**Why has no one ever wrote a story with Amy and Penny being roommates? If someone has then send me the link!**

**Anyway...I hope I didn't make Penny sound terrible with all her hesitation. Likewise...I hope Sheldon still seemed like Sheldon. That being said...I enjoy writing back and forth for these two lol.**

**There should be more shamy in the next chapter if I can maintain my writing muse.**

**Please comment!**


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